By David Butler
Arsenal are again pushing to win the Premier League. One of the most interesting elements of their campaign has been their effectiveness from set pieces. According to data reported by the BBC (up until recently anyway), 215 goals have been scored from non-penalty set pieces so far this season, roughly 27.5% of all goals. This reflects a broader league-wide trend, but Arsenal have become particularly associated with this tactic.
A key figure behind this is Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s highly regarded set-piece coach. Reports suggest that Jover’s contract includes a performance-based financial bonus tied to goals scored from set pieces. If accurate, it represents a nice example of how monetary incentives can be embedded into coaching structures. Ultimately this could, in principle, affect outcomes on the pitch.
This idea is not unique. The Brentford squad has previously been reported to have financial rewards for goals scored from set plays, again an effort by the club to connect tactics to direct economic incentives.
At the opposite end of the table, the conversation around incentives takes on a different tone. In North London, uncertainty remains over whether Spurs players have wage reduction clauses tied to relegation in their contracts. Some reports suggest these clauses exist. Other reports dispute it.
The broad question is interesting - how do financial incentives influence performance under pressure? If relegation becomes a realistic threat, would survival bonuses sharpen focus and effort? Could players be offered financial rewards for securing Premier League safety? And if that were the case, might Igor Tudor also stand to benefit from a windfall should Spurs stave off relegation? I would hazard to guess his agent necessitated a ‘survival bonus’ in his contract.
Maybe, over time, we will get more data on these incentives to study how successful they are.
Arsenal are again pushing to win the Premier League. One of the most interesting elements of their campaign has been their effectiveness from set pieces. According to data reported by the BBC (up until recently anyway), 215 goals have been scored from non-penalty set pieces so far this season, roughly 27.5% of all goals. This reflects a broader league-wide trend, but Arsenal have become particularly associated with this tactic.
A key figure behind this is Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s highly regarded set-piece coach. Reports suggest that Jover’s contract includes a performance-based financial bonus tied to goals scored from set pieces. If accurate, it represents a nice example of how monetary incentives can be embedded into coaching structures. Ultimately this could, in principle, affect outcomes on the pitch.
This idea is not unique. The Brentford squad has previously been reported to have financial rewards for goals scored from set plays, again an effort by the club to connect tactics to direct economic incentives.
At the opposite end of the table, the conversation around incentives takes on a different tone. In North London, uncertainty remains over whether Spurs players have wage reduction clauses tied to relegation in their contracts. Some reports suggest these clauses exist. Other reports dispute it.
The broad question is interesting - how do financial incentives influence performance under pressure? If relegation becomes a realistic threat, would survival bonuses sharpen focus and effort? Could players be offered financial rewards for securing Premier League safety? And if that were the case, might Igor Tudor also stand to benefit from a windfall should Spurs stave off relegation? I would hazard to guess his agent necessitated a ‘survival bonus’ in his contract.
Maybe, over time, we will get more data on these incentives to study how successful they are.
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